Jessica Strickland, International Fine Art and Wedding Photojournalist | » Personal

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Jessica — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 13:45:42 +0000

Sending wishes for a joyful, wonderful holiday filled with love and family!!

From my family to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!!

MELISSA + GARY + WILLOW + WESLEY

Jessica — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 06:37:57 +0000

I recently had the awesome opportunity to go to Canada, where two of my best friends live and help them with their newborn twins, Willow & Wesley! It was such a sweet, wonderful, intimate, special time…I will remember it for the rest of my life. While it was filled with all the things you expect, tons of feedings and diaper changes, help with dishes and laundry and meals, even less sleep than I get at home….I really loved all of it because it was filled with memory building life experience of being there for my friends as they embark on their journey as a family…and while it sounds cheesy, it’s an amazingly special thing to be a part of. When you watch two people you know well and love as a couple turn into parents…and a family…it’s really incredible…and awesome…and makes you have one of those “this is what life is all about!” kind of moments! It was hard to be away from Sophie for a week and hard to be gone from work during the busiest time of the year, but getting to be a part of Willow and Wesley’s lives, if only for a week, was something I cherished sooo much. I miss them like crazy…and their Mom & Dad! While I was there, we made several attempts at a photo shoot…i love these images….

Meet Wesley…the lovable charmer…

And Willow, the innocent and sweet one…

Melissa & Gary live on a fantastic, warm, inviting ranch so we did a part of our shoot that reflected that feeling…

And then we did some bright, fun ones too!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Jessica — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 03:39:18 +0000

As I sit here, on Thanksgiving Eve, trying to understand how suddenly it’s already Thanksgiving….I can’t help but feel overwhelmed. Yes, overwhelmed by the work that naturally comes with the wrap up of the busy portrait and wedding season and rush and madness that is the holidays, but more than that, overwhelmed by how unbelievably thankful that I am have this much work, these wonderful clients that have been soo faithful to me for soo many years, to love what I do and to have such a blessed life. If you know me well, you know that thankfulness and gratitude are a HUGE deal to me. I think that if people would just STOP for a minute and realize how good we really have it and have a genuine attitude of thanksgiving and gratefulness for their life, their family, their home, their health, their friends, a warm bed to sleep in, food to eat, a free country to live in, a job to be good at and all that they have, I am 100% sure that the world would be a different place with MUCH less hatred, anger, bitterness and pain. That’s why I love Thanksgiving. One day, where we stop and just revolve around being THANKFUL. On this Thanksgiving, I just want to say THANK YOU to all of my wonderful clients for your business. Without you, I wouldn’t be able to do what I love…which is photograph happy people and capture joy. Happy Thanksgiving, from my family to yours! (photos courtesy of my lovely friend, Jamie Sangar with Jamie Sangar Photography!)

THE HUDDLESTON FAMILY

Jessica — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:34:33 +0000

Another family shoot! This time, for Mark’s family! Hannah, Ben, Graham and Xavier…our wonderful family…and our neighbors! We love them soo much and are soo blessed to have them in our lives! It’s soo hard to believe that Graham is now 4 years old (5 in January!)…when it seems like only yesterday, he practically had a daily shoot on my blog when he was born as the first child into the family!! Now Xavier is 2 (3 in March!) and everyone is growing soo quickly!! Oh…and a full family shot at the end! Told you that I was trying to capture everyone this year!

We were at my in-laws house for a family day of birthday celebrations when we did this shoot…and so Soph naturally ended up in the shoot! She loves her cousins, her Auntie H and her Umbleken, as she calls him (aka, Uncle Ben)! And I couldn’t help but shoot a few of my FAVORITE tree….. it’s such a beautiful, magestic old tree that is absolutely massive!! It’s estimated to be over 200 years old….and seen soo many generations, seasons, storms and sunshine…it’s amazing. One of my favorite things to do each fall is to visit Mark’s parents property and see my favorite tree!

And the whole clan from earlier this fall…

THE BURGERS

Jessica — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 02:38:57 +0000

If these lovely faces look familiar, that’s because they are MY FAMILY!! My sister’s family, my parents…and even Mark, Sophie and I…and my Gram makes an appearance too! I’ve worked hard to try to actually capture family shots for all members of my family this year because while it’s on my priority list every year, it doesn’t always happen! So, we grabbed a tripod, snuck away as a group for about 15 minutes and voila…family photos! I love my family…they are all such fantastic, wonderful people. I’m SOO blessed to have them in my life, have their constant help, support, friendship and love!

ATTENTION BRIDES & GROOMS!!

Jessica — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:37:45 +0000

Attention Brides and Grooms!! Occasionally we hear of industry trends and events that think you, our clients might find interesting. Wish Upon a Wedding is certainly one of those organizations. As a nationwide 501(c) (3) organization, it celebrates the courage, determination and spirit of couples in love during their most challenging times. When couples are facing terminal or life altering illnesses, Wish Upon a Wedding steps in and grants them their dream wedding, that they might not get the chance to share otherwise. Indianapolis launched its chapter in January of 2011 and I have been supportive of this organization from the onset, even photographing the first wish couple Cory and Janice here in Indiana for their wedding day in April!

On Monday, November 14, 2011 Wish Upon a Wedding Indianapolis is hosting the Blissful Wishes Ball and we hope you’ll attend!! It will be a fantastic evening full of wedding professionals and couples just like you! The event will be held at non other than the Conrad Indianapolis and will include dinner, cocktails and dancing to entertainment by one of Indy’s hottest bands, Zanna Doo’s Annie’s Band!! Most importantly, it will include a host of wonderful wedding related items available for silent auction, which will ultimately help grant dream weddings to these incredibly deserving couples! The auction will include many items which may be useful as you are planning your own wedding. Everything from bridal jewelry to invitations and photography to calligraphy is available all helping this worthwhile organization! There are other auction items which may serve as wonderful bridal party gifts, rehearsal dinner or shower ideas! It will be a wonderful night and go to a fantastic cause, from one happy couple looking forward to their wedding day to another! I really hope to see you there!

Purchase your tickets here:

http://blissfulwishesindy.eventbrite.com/

For more information about the couples helped by Wish Upon a Wedding visit www.wishuponawedding.org

MACI’S 1ST BIRTHDAY!

Jessica — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:02:16 +0000

If you have been following the blog for a while, you might remember a major birthday bash for my niece Charli’s first birthday a few years ago! Well, as hard as it is to believe, my sweet niece MACI is turning one next week and so my sister (the party planner extraordinaire!!!!) pulled out ALL THE STOPS again for Maci’s 1st birthday!!! It was a huge bash, complete with tons of food, group games, prizes, contests, bouncehouses, swimming, fishing, pony rides (forgot a get a pic of that! oops!), pinatas, cupcake decorating, pie eating contests, etc…the list goes on! We all tell my sister that she is REALLY in for trouble when these girls turn 16 with how crazy she goes for their birthdays, but it doesn’t stop her….she just goes ALL OUT!!! Her heart is in a great place though because it’s impossible NOT TO LOVE watching everyone, especially the KIDS having an ABSOLUTE BLAST!!! Maci did too….she napped through most of it! HA!! She had her first taste of cake…along with the help of her big sister, Charli….and she LOVED it. It was such a fantastic day….we are soo blessed with such an incredible group of friends and family…and with a great piece of family property to be able to host everyone at for such a fun day of celebration! KUDOS TO YOU, Mom and Jenny (& Anita & Palomino Ballroom staff!)….you did a great job…it was SUCH a fun day!!

ONE SWEET SATURDAY….

Jessica — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:15:47 +0000

Once upon a time, in the sea of a very busy summer, there was a sweet little day named Saturday…a day OFF…and we slept IN…and we played and played and played. and it was PERFECT. The end.

And because we are a WEEEE bit behind on photo shoots, we decided to play in the studio TOO!!

SHE STEALS MY JEWELRY….

Jessica — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:00:08 +0000

My niece Charli…the just-as-of-last-week preschooler, the leader of the cousins (or as she calls herself, the WEEDER) , the stealer of my makeup and now my jewelry. OH and it’s official, we are of the age to have SLEEPOVERS! Charli stayed over this weekend and it was a girl party! We had a blast singing and dancing, riding bikes and going to the park, playing in clothes, shoes and jewelry…and of course, taking pictures! IOh how I love her….

SUMMER VACATION 2011

Jessica — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 05:04:31 +0000

During the chaos that is known as wedding season, I escaped to little oasis of heaven known as the beach…in Florida. Ok, maybe a very sandy, hot, sand in the eyes and mouth, stressful with a busy 16 month old kind of heaven…but it was still heaven. We took a few days to head to Florida with my family for a little summer vacation and for Sophie to have her first chance at putting her toes in the sand. One of the beauties of having a child has been how it’s helped me learn to enjoy life a bit more, to put the work away and really being IN the moment…seeing things for the first time again, through the eyes of my little girl. It’s truly one of the coolest things to watch her as she learns to navigate the world and discover all that is in it. She lit up with incredible wonder when she saw the beach. It was soo sweet…an expression and emotion that I wish I could bottle up forever. See, her daddy is an ocean LOVER…could stay in all day long…..and I had a feeling she would follow suit…and sure enough, she did. When she saw it, she said the biggest, longest, WOOOOOOW. And then when her toes met the soft, powdery sand….she was mesmerized! It was precious. Then, she ran, full speed, into the water. And LOVED IT! And scared me half to death! We had the fun of sharing the trip with my awesome family…and her two cousins, Charli & Maci. It’s safe to say that after about 2 hours of being on “vacation” with three little ones, ages 3 and younger, we realized that the word vacation was NOT appropriate because there was almost no relaxation between all the busy-ness, fun, fights, sharing wars, crying, nap battles, playtime, mealtime, dashes for the pool and ocean, etc. We learned to enjoy it in a new way after just accepting that maybe 1 hour per day of personal time or relaxation…while they napped… would have to suffice! It really was a wonderful, special time….and after not having a vacation in years…it’s something I could really get used to!

calling all portrait clients….

Jessica — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:20:32 +0000

just a quick note to say that my portrait schedule is full through the end of the year! thanks soo very kindly for all of your wonderful business, i’m beyond blessed by it!! I’m currently scheduling for January, February and spring of 2012!

SOPHIE | SUMMERTIME

Jessica — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:33:27 +0000

While enjoying a summer afternoon with my Sophie, I did a little video to remember how simple and wonderful life can be with the warm sunshine, the joy of summer and a day off….

View on ExposureRoom

CHARLI’S 3RD BIRTHDAY!

Jessica — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 18:21:28 +0000

My sweet niece, Charli is officially 3 and I can barely believe it! They say that time flies and it goes even faster when you have kids. I never totally believed that until I became an aunt and then a parent. It’s true….one minute, it’s 3am and you are walking and rocking and bouncing and doing ANYTHING to get your baby to drift off to sleep…and the next minute, they are calling you by name and the minute after that, they are putting on their own shoes and communicating with you in full sentences. Of all the things I’ve witnessed in my life, watching the miracle of life happen, then have them born and enter the world as a helpless little baby and blossom into an incredible human being…is truly the most amazing.

On the morning of Charli’s party, I was helping get her dressed and as I was putting her hair in pigtails, I was telling her how much I loved her…and she said, “I love you too, JJ (which is supposed to be AJ, for Aunt Jess) and she said it in the sweetest 3 year old voice, but also more mature than I’ve ever heard her…and she leaned her head on mine….and I couldn’t help but cry. I think I scared her b/c her 3 year old mine couldn’t grasp the concept of crying out of pure, raw joy…instead of being upset. I told her that I wouldn’t forget that moment as long as I lived…and I won’t! My sister (and my MOM) is famous for her parties, but she didn’t have much time to plan something for this go round…so this is her version of a last minute, pull it together quickly, small and simple party! (As you see these images, you will understand why that’s funny!) She says she is saving the BIG party for when Maci turns 1 in September!! I don’t know how we are from the same parents because when I throw a party, I’m picking stuff up at Target 2 hours before and my big fancy part are some decorated cupcakes and Jimmy John’s takeout! Poor Sophie is going to start to wonder what’s up with her cheapo parents as the years go on…

We continued the celebration into the next day with some pool time fun at my Aunt & Uncle’s great new house! We are soo crazy blessed with the most awesome family and we love being together! It was a great having a little time off to enjoy summer with everyone…I am starting to see why people are such big fans of having a day or two OFF from work. I could get used to that…

Pooltime!!

BABY AVARY

Jessica — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 02:03:01 +0000

I had the incredible opportunity to photograph the birth of sweet baby Avary! She is a very special little girl who was born with Trisomy 9, a rare chromosomal disorder and she was only able to grace us with her presence here on earth for a short but sweet time. She is now perfect and resting in the arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She was born into one of the most incredible, wonderful families…I can’t say enough about them. Reidy Family….watching you welcome precious Avary into the world and then gracefully and beautifully hand her over to Jesus in such a short amount of time is one of the most powerful testimonies that I have ever seen. I have no doubt that others have been and will continue to be equally effected. The Lord must be smiling down upon you as He now holds your sweet Avary and sees how you are truly making a difference for Him through your faith, steadfast hope and grace in this heartbreaking time. That is truly a mark of what it means to be a Christian, the kind we all aspire to be… and I hope that you will reflect on the kingdom work that is being done through Avary’s short by sweet life when the journey gets difficult and your hearts are heavy. I send you all of my love and prayers…. Avary will be in my heart for the rest of my life. What a special, powerful day this was….an such an honor for me to capture…

*please be prepared with tissues before proceeding with playing the slideshow below*

View on ExposureRoom

OUR FAMILY

Jessica — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:00:51 +0000

So, I’m a little behind but I just HAD to share OUR family photo shoot! My dear friend and FANTASTIC photographer, Jamie Sangar, was kind enough to turn her camera on us and capture our little family for Sophie’s 1st birthday shoot!! It’s soo awesome to have photographers as friends because photographers kids DO NOT cooperate for them! Jamie is soo wonderful, we love her and were soo grateful that she captured such special images for us!! We are crazy about our little Sophie and are having such a blast with her….we loved being able to freeze this awesome time in our lives! THANK YOU, JAMIE!!! Click here for our full shoot on Jamie’s blog!!